Blasphemy case takes new turn<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A Ministry of Religious Affairs official charged
\nwith blasphemy did not deny the accusation that he had defamed
\nthe sexual behavior of Torajan girls, but he told the court
\nyesterday that he was quoting a school teacher's observations.<\/p>\n
The defendant, an official of the South Sulawesi religious
\naffairs office, had been asked by the Central Jakarta District
\nCourt to respond to the testimony of a Pelita daily reporter.<\/p>\n
The 44-year-old official is being tried on charges of
\nblasphemy for his statement, published in a newspaper, which
\noutraged the predominantly-Christian population of Toraja. If
\nfound guilty, he could be sent to prison for up to five years.<\/p>\n
The reporter, Hartono, admitted during cross examination that
\nhe had not rechecked the offending statement, which the defendant
\nhad given in an interview.<\/p>\n
The statement was not an important part of the story, which
\nwas about public efforts to contain the spread of the deadly
\nAcquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Hartono said. The
\nstatement appeared in Pelita on April 27 and April 28.<\/p>\n
\"I was aware that it was a sensitive issue, and therefore my
\nstory did not explicitly mention the religion of the female
\nstudents in Tana Toraja,\" Hartono said.<\/p>\n
Hartono said he had approached the defendant after his
\npresentation at a seminar on AIDS. He said the defendant had made
\nsome interesting statements at the seminar which he needed to
\nclarify for the newspaper.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge Asmar Ismail adjourned the trial until Monday
\nto hear a testimony from the managing editor of Pelita. (16)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/blasphemy-case-takes-new-turn-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}